Flow meter



Fume E9, 192%,

Inventor: Wilhomn L. PaulisomJ .,v

bg wir H ie Motor-meg.

Patented June 19, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAE L. PAULISON, JR., OF HACKENSACK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOB TO GENERAL i ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

FLOW METER.

Application llled April 26, 1927. Serial No. 188,757.

The present invention `relates to iow meters such as are used for measuring the flow of iuids through conduits. In connection with the 'measurement of the iow of fluids through conduits by means of a iow meter, it becomes desirable sometimes to provide a flow meter which will measure flow in either direction, the meter at the same time indicating the direction of flow. However, the application for .meters for this purpose is not extensive so that it is hardly 'practicable from a commercial standoint to ,provide a special line of meters or this use. v ,f .Y

The object of my invention is to provide in connection with a low meter, an arrangementl whereby a standard ilow meter calibrated and adapted for use in measuring ilow only in one direction may lbe converted readily and without substantial change into a meter capable of measuring flow in either irection and indicating the direction of the For a' consideration of what I believe to be novel and my invention,l attention is directed to the accompanying description and the claims appended thereto. if.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a side elevation,

partly in section, of a flow meter installation embodying my invention, and F ig. 2

is a detail view of another application of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, 1 indicates a' Mapelsden, 1,481,921, Jan. 29, 1924. It cbm-,- prises essentially two legsl 2 and 3 unitedby a transverse passage 4, thereby forming what is in substance, a U-tube. In the U-tube is an indicating liquid 5 such as mercury. Riding on the mercury in U-tube leg y3 is a float 6 provided with a stem 7 upon which is a rack 8 meshing with a gear wheel 9. Through suitable magnetic transmission 10 gear `wheel 9 transmits oscillating'movement to a pointer 11 the pointer being mounted on the shaft of the magnetic motion-transmitting means. When float 6A moves upward, gear wheel 9 is turned in an'anticlockwise direction, thereby moving pointer 11 toward the le'ft, while when the float 6 ,moves downward gear wheel 9 is rotated in a clockwise direction, thereby movingv pointer 11 toward the right. Connected with U- tube legs 2 and 3 are pipes 12 and 13 which are `connected to la pressure-ditference-creating device in the conduit through which the fluid to be `metered flows. In the present instance, the pressure-differencecreating device is shown as being in the form ofja plate 14 provided with 'an orifice `15, the device being located in a conduit 16.

cating liquid-therein, a liquid head which produces a certain deflectionof the indicating liquid. This serves to position the indicating pointerjll in a certain predetermined position at no fiow which is the zero position; I then provide the indicating instrument with aspecial chart or scale plate which has its zerov at the zero position of the pointer, the scale extending in each direction from' the zero point. With this arrangement, therefore, if the flow is in one direction, the pressuredierence-creating device will operate to effect movement of the pointer Vto the right, while if the fiow is in the other direction the pressure-diii'erencecreatingdevice will operate to etfectmovement of thel pointer to the left. The flow' meter will operate, then, to measure flow in either direction and indicate in which direction the flowis taking place.

In Fig'll of the drawing, the invention is shown applied to a flow meter for measurupper end of the reservoir being connected by a. pipe 20 to the conduit 16. p

When operating as a fiow meter for steam or other condensible vapor, the pipe 12 and reservoir 17 and the pipe 13 and reservoir 19 becomes filled with condensate up tothe levels indicated in the reservoirs which levels are defined by pipe connections 18 and 20. In carrying out my invention for this application, I locate the reservoir 19 at a point sufficiently higher than the reservoir 17 that the head of the liquid in pipe 13 and reservoir 19 exceeds'the head of the liquid in pipe 12 in reservoir 1'( by an amount sufiicient to eifect the desired permanent deflection of the indicating liquid 5, that is, the deilection required to bring the indicating pointer to zero position on the scale at no flow.

Fig. 1 of the drawing shows the no flow position of the parts and it will be seen that the liquid 5 is depressed in leg 3 and is raised in leg 2 by a certain amount, the arrangement being such, as already pointed out, that pointer 11 stands at zero on the scale-plate.

If now flow takes place through the conduitl rom'left to right, there will be a drop iny pressure across orifice 15 which will effect a lowering of the level of the indicating liquid in leg 2 and a raising of the level of the liquid in leg 3. This will turn pointer 11 toward the left indicating a certain amount oi flow from left to right in the conduit.A If flow takes place in the conduit from right to left, there will be a drop in ressure across oriiice 15 which will serve to ower the level of the liquid in leg 3, thus permitting the float 6 to move downward and turn the pointer 11 toward the right, thus yindicating and measurin a flow in the other direction. When the in icating liquid 5 deiiects, the liquid in one of the reservoirs 17 or 19 spills over into the conduit,'depending upon the direction oi' deflection, while. the level of the liquid in the other reservoir lowers somewhat. However, the reservoirs quickly fill to their former levels due to condensation so that the accuracy 'of the instrumentis affected only momentarily. Also, the reservoirs are made of a diameter so large that the variations in the level of 'liquid which occur during normal operation are small and so have but little edect on the deiiection of the indicating liquid.

In Fig. 2 is shown diagrammatically an arrangement for measuring' the flow of a non-condensible fluid such as air. In this case I provide in the one leg 3 ofthe U-tube suihcient non-vaporizing liquid 21 to eiect the depression of the indicating liquid 5 required to give the instrument its zero set,

ting. In this case, the leg 2 would have no liquid above the indicating liquid. The operation of the arrangement shown in the Fig. 2 construction will be understood readily from the description given already in connection with the Fig. 1 construction.

By the above arrangement, I am enabled to take a standard flow meter designed for operation for one direction of flow only and convertit into an instrument capable oi measuring flow in either direction and this without atfecting the calibration constants of the instruments.

In the present instance, I have shown the zero in Fig. 1 as being at the midpoint on the scale. However, it may be arranged at any other intermediate point. I, for example, it is desired to measure greater flow in one direction than in the other, then the zero may be arranged at a oint such that greater..deiiection may take p ace for the one direction of fiow than for the other. This is illustrated in Fig. 2 wherein itwill be seen that the zero is located to one side o the center of the scale.

By my invention, it `will be seen that I am enabled to take a standard flow meter designed for operation in only one direction and convert it into a flow meter capable of measuring iiow in either direction by providing a suitable scale plate to indicate flow in either direction and the means for effecting the initial deflection of the indicat ing' liquid. rIhese are things which can be done easily and at low cost.

In accordance with the provisions of the `patent statutes, I have described the principle of operation of In invention together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative and that the invention may be carried out by other means.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is,-

1. In a flow meter, a U-tube, indicating liquid in the U-tube, means associated with one leg of the U-tube for indicating the level of the indicating liquid therein, and a second liquid in a leg of the U-tube which produces a certainV deflection of the indicatin liquid to establish a zero flow point on t e indicating means at a point other than that at which the indicating means stands when the liquid in the two legs of the U-tube stands at the same level. g

2. A flow meter comprising a U-tube having a leading leg and a trailing leg, indieating liquid in said legs, means associated with one leg of the U-tube for measuring deflection of the indicating liquid therein, and' means providing a liquid head which eii'ects a certain deflection of the indicating liquid to establish a zero dow point on the deflection measuring means at a point other than that at which the dedection measuring means stands when the indicating liquid in he ltwo legs of the U-tube are at the same eve 3. A flow meter comprising a U-tube having a leading leg and a trailing leg, indicating liquid in the U-tube, an indicating pointer, means for positioning. said pointer in accordance with the level of, the indicating liquid in one leg of the -U-tube, a

scale plate over which the pointer moves, said scale plate having a scale thereon the zero point of which corresponds with a certain deflection of the indicating liquid, and means providing a li uid head which effects a deiection of the indicating liquid such that at zero iow the indicating pointer stands at zero on the scale.

4. A flow meter comprising a leading leg and a trailingy leg, indicating liquid in said legs, means associated with one of said legs for measuring deflection of the indicating liquid therein, and means which effects a which a condensable vapor to he metered flows, a pressure difference-creating device, a U-tube indicating instrument, an indicating liquid therein, indicating means associated with said U-tube and having a zero flow point at a point other than that at which said indicating means stands when the liquid in the two legs of the U-tube stands at the same level, and pipesv connecting the 'U-tube indicating instrument to the conduit, one ofy said pipes extending to a level above the other by an amount such that when filled with condensation from said conduit it effects a deflection of the indicating liquid such that at Zero How the' indicating means stands at the zero fiow point.-

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 23 day of April, 1927.

WILLIAM L. PAULISON, J R. 

